Luncheon or picnic box or case



Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,374

W. F. MAY

LUNCHEON OR PICNIC BOX 0R CASE Filed Aug. 20, 1926 PatentecliSept 13, 1927.

UNIT-ED STA TES PATENT oFFics;

WILLIAM FRANCIS MAY, OF THORNTON HEATHQ ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF -TO JAMES ADAMS KEENE, O LONDON, 'EN'GLAND.

I LUNCHEON 0R PICNIC BOX 03 CASE.

--App1ication filed August 1926, Serial No. 130,375,:endin Great Britain Jul 23, 1926.

This invention relates ftoluncheon or picnic boxes or cases and comprises a box formed of hinged members which can be opened out so that the box or case is convertible intoa kind of tableupon whichthe contents; of the box crease can be arranged for'serving aine'al.

In a suitable onstruction according to the invention, the body of the box or case is made in sectionsfhinged together so that when opened out or extended, together with the lid, a series of I the 'surfaces thereof are brought into one plane toforin a table with legs or supports therefor. For example, the body of the box orc'ase 1s made in two equal parts by dividing vertically two opposits-sides on centralllines, the members of these divided sides 7 subsequently acting as supports for the table. 'The other sides of the said body are hinged along their lower" edges to opposite edges of the bottom of the box or case,'whilst to the upper edge of oneof the said sides is hinged the lid of the box or casefthe edges of, the lid at right 'angles'to thatfurnished with the hinge or hinges being pro-vided with flat extensions at right angles to the lidwhich also sunbsequently actas'supports forthe table. These extensions lit into corresponding recesses in the divided sides of the body when the lid is closedso that the exterior surfaces oft-he extensions are flush with those of the said divided sides, theunrecessed portions of the sections of the divided fsidesbeing preferably rebated at their meeting edges so that they form closed joints/"The sides, bottom and lidare so :hinged together that when the'boxor caseiis opened out these members are butt ed together at their adjacent edges with their exterior surfaces'in accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a luncheon or picnic ox or case constructed in accordance with the invention. 7

Figure 2 is a similar view to figure 1, but showing the lid open. r

V Figure 3'is a perspective view of the box Or case fully opened out or, extended and" Figure 4; is'a view'similar to Figure 3, showing theex'tended box or case turned over to forin a table.

" a, Figures 1 and 2, is th upright body or,

the box or case having the four sides I), Z2 0,

0 and d and e are, respectively, the bottom and lid of the said box or case. The body is made in twoequal parts by dividing the sides 0,' c vertically and centrally at f into two equal sections 0 c which subsequently act as supports when the box is extended to form a table, as indicated in Figure 4:,whilst the sides J), b are hinged respectively by hinges g, g? to the bottom d. The'lid e is hinged by a hingeh'to the upper edge of one of the sides 6 2', 2' are the two flat extensions on the edges of the lid at right angles to that furnished with the hinge h and which also subsequently serveas 'sup ports for the'table when the box is extended to form a table and jyj indicate where the sect-ions 0 0? of the sides 0 are recessed to receive the extensions 71, a when the lid is exterior surfacesof the said sides and of the said extensions are flush, f 0?, c Figure 3 and e," indicate the rebates when I prefer to "forn in the meeting edges of the unre- 'cessed' portions of the sections c 0? of the divided sides to 01111 closed joints. is, Z are hook I and eye fastenings for securing the two part of the body together and m, m are spring lever fastenings or looks for securing theli'd e to the body. 12, is a handle on thelid to; enablethe box or "case to be easily carried, the said handle being hinged to the said lid and turning down and fitting into a recess n in the lidso that it lies closed, as indicated in Figure 1, so that the fiushwiththe surface ofthe said lid when not'requiredfor use.

By the described construction it will be seen that assuming the box or case to be closed as indicated in Figure 1, by unfastening the lid 6 from the body a by manipulat-' ing the fastening's Wym and turning it on its hinge h into'the position indicated in V Figure Qwhere it is in the same plane as the side 72 with the edges carrying the said hinge abutting, and then unfastening the hooks is from the eyes Z, the parts of the box or case can be extended, as indicated in Figure 3, so that the bottom d and side b align with said side 6 and lid 6, with the edges carrying the hinges g and g abuttiii'g. l ly turning the extended box or case upside down, it can then serve as a table, as indicated in Figure at, the parts 0 and i acting as supports or legs thereit'or,

I claim:

1. A luncheon or picnic box or case comprising a series of sections including two pairs of parallel sections, said sections belug hinged together so that their exterior surfaces can be brought into one plane to form a table, a plurality of said sections being provided at opposite ends with perpendicular sections rigidly secured thereto,

and depending equal distances therefrom when said hinged sections are arranged in a plane, and Llorining the only supports for the table, said perpendicular sections having meeting edges and forming the remaining opposite sides of the box or case when in closed position,

A luncheon or picnic box or case comprising a series of sections including two pairs of parallel sections, said sections being hinged together so that their exterior surfaces can be brought into one plane to form a table, a plurality of said sections being provided at opposite ends with perpendicular sections rigidly secured thereto, and depending equal distances tljierelrom when said hinged sections are arranged in a plane, and forming the only supports for the table, said perpendicular sections haring meeting edges and forming the remaining opposite sides oil the box or case when in closed position, said perpeiulicuiar sections at each end of the hinged sections bcring provided with OYQl'lttPlJlllg portions adjucent to their meeting edges to form closed joints, and having their exteriiir faces in the same plane.

it. A luncheon or picnic box or case cornprising parallel side sections, a. bottom section, and a top section hinged together in series so that their surfaces can be brought into one plane to form a table, the parallel side sections being each provided at each end with perpendicular end sections rigidly connected therewith and 01 equal transverse width, said perpendicular end sections haw ing meeting edges and forming the ends of the box or case, one of the other hinged sections being provided with a perpendicular section at each end of the same width, as the previously mentioned perpendicular sec tions, the outer edges of the last mentioned perpendicular section being adapted to meetedges of the first mentioned perpendicular section, perpendicular to the meeting edges therco'l, all of said perpendicular sections at each end of the box or face having their outer edges in the same plane, said perpendicular sections :t'orming the sole support for the hinged section when in open position for use as a table.

4;. A luncheon or picnic box or case comprising parallel side sections, a bottom section, and a top section hinged together in series so that their surlitces can be brought into one plane to lo'rm a table, the parallel side sections being each provided at each end with pcrpemlicular end sections rigidly connected therewith and of equal trznisverse width, said perpendicular end sectionslniving rebated meeting edges, and having recessed portions adjacent to the top of the box, saidhinged top sections being provided at each end with a perpeiidicular end section of the same width as the first mentioned end sections to engage the recessed portions of the lirst mentioned end sections, all of said perpendicular sections at each end of the box or case having their outer edges in the same plane, said perpendicular sections forming the sole support for the hinged sections when in open position for use as a table.

A luncheon or picnic box or case comprising parallel side sections, a bottom section, and a top section hinged together in series so that their surfaces can be brought into one plane to form a table, the parallel side sections being each provided at each end with perpendicular end sections rigidly connected therewith and of equal transverse width, said perpei'idicular end sections having rebated meeting edges, and having recessed portions adjacent to the top of the box, said hinged top sections being provided at each end with a perpendicular end section of the same width as the first mentioned end sections to engage the recessed portions of the lirst mention'ed end sections, all of said perpendicular sectionsat each end of the box or case having their outer edges in the same plane, said perpendicular sections forming the sole support for the hinged sections when in open position for use as a table, and locking means for connecting the end sections of the top to the recessed end sections connected with the side section remote from the hinged edge of thetop section, to hold the box or case in closed position.

WILLIAM FRANCIS MAY. 

